Sonya Saolo Lakei

Beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, Sonya Sa'olo Lakei passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at the age of 48. To all who knew her, Sonya was kind, loving, compassionate, and had a special gift of bringing beauty to anything or anyone she crossed paths with. Whether it be a living space or a broken place in someone's heart, Sonya always left everything far better than she found it. She grew up in Carson, CA involved in athletics and was a team player on and off the court. At a young age she started to coach youth in basketball, and was very successful. She blessed the lives of many of whom she coached and always led her teams with a motivating and uplifting power that has proven to carry on with her players throughout their lives, including many of her own nieces and nephews who look up to her. Sonya served an 18-month mission, in Detroit, Michigan for 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" and left this world with a testimony that will be a positive influence for generations to come in the families she taught while serving the Lord. She is the 3rd eldest of 6 children with 4 sisters and 1 baby brother, and is the mother of 2 children ages 8 and 5. As a wife she was loyal, supportive, and very grateful to her husband who she has called "the love of her life". As a mother she was valiant in her duty to protect and provide a place of warmth, love and safety for her children along side her husband of 18 years and counting into the eternities. Her large extended family was of the utmost importance to Sonya and you would always find her at the heart of creating every opportunity to bring them together and share in making life-long memories together. Sonya inherited many talents from her Mother, Adele Ramona Tamasese, which included her gift of sewing, public speaking, and being the stalwart matriarch of her home and family that she was. Her father Inosia Salanoa Alafua, passed away when Sonya was only 16-years-old and from him Sonya inherited a good natured personality that has always been warm and welcoming, and it has resulted in countless lives being blessed because of it.